USDA-APHIS-PPQ Butterfly Environmental Release Decision Chart 

Version 12 October 07, 2019 Agency Contact: Wayne Wehling, (301) 851-2336

Scientific Name Agraulis

vanillae

Danaus

plexippus

Heliconius

charitonius

Heraclides

cresphontes

Nymphalis 

antiopa

Papilio

polyxenes

Pieris 

rapae

Vanessa

atalanta

Vanessa

cardui

Vanessa

virginiensis

Common Name Gulf 

Fritillary

MonarchZebra

Longwing

Giant 

Swallowtail

Mourning 

Cloak

Black 

Swallowtail

Cabbage 

White

Red 

Admiral

Painted 

Lady

American 

Lady

 Alabama Yes Yes** Yes*** Yes No Yes NPR NPR NPR

unnoticed

NPR

 Alaska No No No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Arizona Yes No No Yes Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Arkansas Yes Yes** No Yes Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 California Yes Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Colorado No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Connecticut % No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Delaware No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Florida % Yes Yes** Yes*** No No Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Georgia Yes Yes** Yes*** Yes No Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Hawaii No No No No No No No No No No

 Idaho No Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Illinois Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Indiana Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Iowa Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Kansas Yes Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Kentucky Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Louisiana Yes Yes** Yes *** Yes No Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Maine No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Maryland Yes Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Massachusetts No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Michigan No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Minnesota No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Mississippi Yes Yes** Yes*** Yes No Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Missouri Yes Yes** No Yes Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Montana No No No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR
 Nebraska Yes Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Nevada No No No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 New Hampshire 

HHampshire 

Hampshirew 

HHHHHHHhhllkjl

kjlkjlkjHampshire

HHHHampshire

HamHHampshire

No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR 

NPR

NPR NPR NPR

 New Jersey No Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 New Mexico Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR 

 New York % No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 North Carolina

North Carolina

Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 North Dakota No Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR 

 Ohio Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Oklahoma Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Oregon % No Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Pennsylvania Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Puerto Rico No No No No No No No No No No

 Rhode Island No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 South Carolina Yes Yes** Yes*** Yes No Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 South Dakota No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Tennessee Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Texas Yes Yes** Yes*** Yes No Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Utah No Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Vermont No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Virginia Yes Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Washington % No Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 West Virginia No Yes** No Yes Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Wisconsin No Yes** No No Yes Yes NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Wyoming No Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Washington DC Yes Yes** No No Yes No NPR NPR NPR NPR

 Virgin Islands No No No No No No No No No No

 Guam No No No No No No No No No No

This matrix determines the destination states/territories where each of the 10 butterfly species can be shipped INTERSTATE

for release into the environment. The genetic stock must originate in the continental United States and further restrictions 

may apply if noted by one of the footnotes that follows. Interstate transport of 6 species requires a USDA PPQ 526 Plant 

Pest Permit. www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/butterflies/index.html

NPR = No Permit Required (No USDA PPQ 526 Plant Pest Permit). It is you responsibility to determine if the state has any 

requirements or restrictions.
** Danaus plexippus (=Monarch butterfly) must not cross over the Continental Divide for environmental release.

*** Heliconius charitonius (= zebra, zebra longwing) Releases can only occur between states WITHIN one of two clusters 

 of states. Cluster one = TX, LA and MS. Cluster two = FL, SC, GA, AL. Zebra longwings must not be shipped 

 between clusters.

 

% State has additional requirements, you must contact state officials for state requirements.